On the northern bank of the Yangtze River, in the Lujiang prefecture.
Numerous ships were arranged in succession. Many of these vessels had been captured from Jiangdong. Now, with their prows facing Jiangdong, they seemed to be showing off.
"Follow me, seize the elite of Niaoxiang, and attack the enemy unprepared!"
"The ships lost by Jiangdong, today, we shall reclaim them all!"
A shout rang out...
On this land, along the riverbank, thousands of Jiangdong's naval forces… more precisely, thousands of Lu family retainers, charged forward in a frenzied battle.
The person at the forefront was none other than Jiang Qin…
Almost at the same time as the surprise attack on Cao's army in Guangling, here, Jiang Qin led a group of Jiangdong generals in an assault.
Seeing them…
Cao's army, which had been standing ready, seemed to instinctively form ranks, attempting to stall the enemy and await reinforcements from Lujiang city…
But in reality, there were no reinforcements at all.
They offered only token resistance before, as if by agreement, withdrawing entirely.
Countless banners bearing the character "Cao" still fluttered in the wind during their retreat.
Meanwhile, General Liu Xun stood atop the city wall, stroking his beard as he gazed at everything unfolding by the river.
"Isn't this a bit too fake?"
Liu Xun knitted his brows…
In his hand, he still held a letter recently sent by Lu Yu.
The content was simple: cooperate with the Jiangdong Lu family's surprise attack and return the dozens of warships previously captured. Additionally, the ships were specially prepared with over two hundred short swords, halberds, and armors forged from fine steel, transported from Xudu.
These equipment items truly made Liu Xun envious…
For several years now, the "divine weapons and armors of fine steel" that Young Master Lu had sent to his Lujiang command did not exceed one hundred sets!
Of course…
Even though they were being returned to Jiangdong, there were still some differences.
Jiangdong's soldiers and retainers were privately owned by various aristocratic families, and captured spoils were also private property. Therefore… to be precise, these warships and divine weapons were not returned to Jiangdong but were "gifted" to the Lu family of Jiangdong.
It was like shifting from the left hand to the right.
However, Liu Xun's brows furrowed even more tightly at this moment. He felt that the token resistance was too unconvincing… After all, the enemy was only a few thousand strong, while he had tens of thousands of troops. How could they make the charade more realistic?
Thus, he noticed the rising mist on the river…
He stroked his beard again…
Clearing his throat, he then shouted, "In this dense fog, the enemy must have ambushes. This is a ruse by the Jiangdong youngsters to lure us. All of you, retreat into the city, retreat into the city! Scouts, quickly go and ascertain, how many enemies are there in the fog!"
With this command, it became more realistic, very realistic!
A gust of wind…
Having done this, Liu Xun squinted his eyes. Through the thin mist, he could already see the Jiangdong soldiers beginning to board the ships and return to Jiangdong. This also caused him to breathe a sigh of relief.
Heh heh…
He let out a faint smile.
After all, among these ships, besides the divine weapons and armors, he had also thoughtfully prepared plenty of clothing and blankets, lest these "guests" from Jiangdong catch a cold on their way back.
It was truly a comprehensive, one-stop service.
Much later, almost all the Jiangdong soldiers had boarded their ships.
A scout finally arrived late, reporting, "General, on the river… there are no… no enemy ambushes!"
Ah…
Upon hearing this, Liu Xun put on a show of being utterly shocked.
"Damn it!" he roared, drawing his long saber, appearing truly imposing. "The Wu rats dare to bully me! Chase them, leave none behind!"
The heralds, mounted on horses, scurried back and forth within the city, their hoarse shouts echoing through the camps.
"Leave none behind!"
From the moment he drew his saber, the tens of thousands of Cao's troops in Lujiang, who had been silent, instantly erupted in roars. They all drew their weapons and surged out of the city, their momentum like a rainbow.
"Leave none behind!"
The shouts of killing pierced the clouds, shaking the heavens and earth.
Watching them in this state, Liu Xun nodded with satisfaction, thinking in his mind – "It's stable!"
But…
When they arrived at the riverbank, advancing like a dark cloud, there was no sign of any Jiangdong soldiers.
Looking back at Cao's army on the shore from his warship, Jiang Qin's lips curved slightly into a cunning smile. The raid on Guangling was led by Lu Xun and Zhou Tai, while the battlefield in Lujiang was commanded by Lu Ji and himself, Jiang Qin.
Just as Lu Xun had elaborated the entire plan to Zhou Tai before the battle, Lu Ji had also told Jiang Qin everything.
This was merely a pre-arranged "play."
Although the acting had some flaws, the minor imperfections did not overshadow the overall brilliance, and the mission was considered complete.
"Pass down the order!" Jiang Qin called out, "All soldiers, shout in unison – Thanks to the Cao Chancellor for the warships!"
As the order was given…
Not long after, a thunderous roar erupted from all dozens of ships!
"Thanks to the Cao Chancellor, thanks to Governor Liu for the warships!"
"Thanks to the Cao Chancellor, thanks to Governor Liu for the warships!"
"Thanks to the Cao Chancellor, thanks to Governor Liu for the warships!"
The sound was deafening…
Each shout was higher and more unified than the last.
When this sound reached Liu Xun's ears, he mused, "That Jiangdong general's acting is much better than mine!"
…
…
On the southern bank of the Yangtze River, outside the Lu family's water encampment.
Facing the river breeze, Lu Xun stood by the riverbank, his eyes narrowed. He was waiting…
In fact, the surprise attacks on Guangling and Lujiang had already concluded with great success. Small boats had rushed ahead to report this.
However…
Lu Xun did not leak this news. Instead, he led all his retainers to guard the river, wanting to show these aristocratic families that this battle had been a resounding victory.
What the Little Hegemon Sun Bofu could not achieve;
What the Blue-Eyed Son Sun Quan could not achieve, their Lu family had accomplished!
He also needed to establish his prestige through this battle.
To let everyone in Jiangdong realize that although the Lu family had declined in the past, they had now risen once again, rising in a way that saved a collapsing situation.
Finally…
At the horizon, ships were sailing in. One group was from the north, and another from the northwest. Undoubtedly… these were the two victorious armies.
Initially, the appearance of these ships caused the Lu family retainers on the shore to tremble, seemingly worried that these were Cao Cao's troops.
But as the ships approached…
The "Lu" character banners held high on countless ship prows made all of them immensely excited.
They had won… they had won!
Wait… it wasn't just that they had won, because the brothers who went on the expedition did not have so many ships.
Then… where did these ships come from?
Were they captured spoils?
Upon realizing this, countless retainers began to roar, as if, even though this achievement was not theirs this time, the victory over the arrogant Cao army filled them with boundless excitement and joy.
Indeed…
Soon, news of the victory over Cao's army would spread throughout Jiangdong. At that time, the people would not be discussing who defeated Cao Cao, but that the Lu family army had defeated Cao Cao. They were all members of the Lu family army, filled with honor.
"Great victory… great victory…"
"We won…"
"Aoo aoo aoo…"
Instantly, countless people cheered and rejoiced.
Only Lu Xun maintained his usual composure.
"Everyone, calm down, calm down!"
"This is just the beginning. If you follow the Lu family, you will all achieve merit and have plenty to eat!"
"Next time, let's see who still fears advancing!"
It could be said…
In Lu Xun's eyes, this great victory was too precious.
"Patriarch… shall we send a fast horse to report the victory?" a clansman asked Lu Xun…
"Report the victory? Haha…" Lu Xun waved his hand. "I'm afraid the spies from various prominent families have already reported what happened here. Their eyes are sharp!"
Speaking of which…
Lu Xun raised his head and gazed at the sky.
He vaguely felt that this great victory was not yet significant enough; it seemed it could still be amplified.
…
…
Xu Province, Xiapi City.
Two urgent dispatches had already arrived here…
Cao Cao was still discussing the details of the decisive battle with Yuan Shao with Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai. On some points of contention, even the three of them were arguing passionately.
But when these two urgent front-line dispatches arrived, all discussions came to an abrupt halt.
Xiahou Dun, holding these two weighty documents, sighed. It seemed that one trouble had not yet subsided before another arose…
Along with them, he also received letters from Cao Ren and Xiahou Yuan, who had rushed over to deliver these documents all at once to Cao Cao.
In the yamen…
Cao Cao's expression was grim, his gaze betraying no emotion. He simply read through each letter, passing each one to Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai for their perusal.
Until the end, Cao Cao remained silent, his gaze as dark as ever.
Xiahou Dun knitted his brows and spoke with difficulty, "Guangling and Lujiang, these two surprise attacks have essentially buried the advantage we previously held against the Sun family of Jiangdong.
Xiahou Dun was still furious…
"In principle, victory or defeat is one thing, but these two battles are extremely bizarre! Myo Cai and Zi Xiao also mentioned in their letters that their armies were clearly positioned to the left and right of Chen Yuanlong's main force. If attacked, they would immediately release signal arrows to transmit messages, and they would surely be able to provide support and annihilate the enemy! This is the first point…"
"Secondly, even if they couldn't react immediately, Chen Yuanlong ordered Myo Cai and Zi Xiao to reinforce via land routes. Doesn't this leave a water route for the enemy to escape?"
"And Lujiang? I'm truly astonished… Lujiang has over thirty thousand men, and a mere few thousand landed, yet they were allowed to hijack those dozens of previously captured warships! Liu Xun, what is this guy so afraid of?"
Upon mentioning this, Xiahou Dun's eyes widened with anger, as if he wished to punch Chen Deng and Liu Xun each.
Xun Yu, however, offered an explanation.
"It's because of the fog on the river, coupled with a surprise attack… Who could have predicted whether there were ambushes on the river? Prioritizing safety, the decisions of the two generals were not incorrect!"
"Then…" Xiahou Dun continued, "They just let those Jiangdong rats hijack the warships and slaughter over ten thousand of our men? I heard that the two hundred fine steel halberds, two hundred short swords, and two hundred armors newly forged in the armory were still on the ships. Were all these given to the Jiangdong rats for free?"
Xiahou Dun felt heartache. Not only was he heartbroken, but his flesh also felt the pain!
Those warships were secondary. High-quality fine iron, iron capable of forging steel, was too scarce in the Central Plains. Despite being two hundred sets of fine steel weapons, his Qingzhou soldiers, led by Xiahou Dun, had repeatedly requested them from the armory.
Even then, the quantity they obtained was less than fifty sets.
It was only because he leveraged his sworn brotherhood with Lu Yu that he forcefully obtained them from Cao Mu!
This time, losing two hundred sets at once made Xiahou Dun extremely distressed!
A sigh…
However, Cao Cao's eyes suddenly snapped open, his sharp gaze sweeping across everyone's faces. The next moment, he seemed to instinctively clench his fist and murmured, "Well done, Chen Yuanlong, well done, Liu Zitai. This defeat is also so beautifully executed!"
Speaking of which…
Cao Cao closed his eyes deeply, then opened them again, shaking his head with a bitter smile. He began to utter, "Summon…" but had only uttered a single word when…
With a "thump," Cao Cao actually fell over. He clasped his forehead with both hands and cried out in pain!
"Big Brother…" Xiahou Dun rushed to support him. Seeing Cao Cao in this state, he cried out, "Big Brother's headache has relapsed again! Summon the imperial physician, summon the imperial physician! Big Brother… Big Brother…"
It seemed that before Xiahou Dun could finish speaking, due to the unbearable headache, Cao Cao had already fainted.
Upon hearing this…
Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai were also stunned.
If these two defeats caused Chancellor Cao's headache to flare up, it would be understandable.
But to faint, this…
Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai were not outsiders. Their understanding of Cao Cao was unmatched.
How broad was Chancellor Cao's mind? They knew it all too well. How could he faint over such a minor setback? Then… this…
Xun Yu and Xi Zhicai exchanged glances. A bold idea simultaneously arose in their hearts: Chancellor Cao was fine, and his fainting, even his "headache," was a performance for certain individuals!
This matter held a deeper meaning!
Having figured this out…
Xi Zhicai spoke loudly, "Lord Xun, Chancellor Cao has fainted… This place is not suitable for staying long. In my opinion, we should return to Xudu City immediately… There, we have the imperial medical office, Zhang Zhongjing, and Minister Lu. Their interventions would have a greater chance of curing Chancellor Cao!"
Hearing this, Xun Yu actively inquired of Xiahou Dun.
"General Xiahou, what do you think…"
Xiahou Dun was at a loss for ideas at this moment.
"Lord Xun, please make the decision! I, Xiahou Dun, will obey without question!"
Xun Yu nodded, then called for the various troops to pack their belongings and prepare to depart.
As he gave instructions, Xi Zhicai seemed to recall something…
He hurriedly reminded, "Lord Xun? Although Chancellor Cao has fainted, Guangling and Lujiang were attacked. Chen Yuanlong and Liu Zitai cannot escape punishment…"
How could Xun Yu not understand his words?
If Chancellor Cao's fainting was a pretense, then it was likely staged for Jiangdong to see…
And this… how could Xun Yu ignore the need to cooperate with Chancellor Cao's performance?
Chen Deng and Liu Xun would inevitably be punished, but how they were to be punished was a highly sensitive matter.
"Thus, send an urgent dispatch with the battle reports from Guangling and Lujiang, along with the letters from General Myo Cai and General Zi Xiao, back to Xudu City. Minister Lu is in Xudu; please ask him to preside over the matter at the Ministry of Personnel!"
"Yes…" A scribe agreed and hurried off to handle it.
Meanwhile, Cao Cao lay on the ground, his expressionless face as if he were genuinely dead from fainting. Occasionally, he would murmur softly.
– "My head…"
– "My head hurts!"
– "It aches, it aches me to death!"
…
…
Xudu City.
At this very moment, the imperial capital of the Han Dynasty was decorated with lanterns and festoons, bustling with activity… Countless people flowed through the streets and alleys, and the eastern, western, southern, and northern markets were overflowing with crowds.
Numerous citizens were generously purchasing mutton, cured meat, and dried fish.
Compared to the flames of war on the front lines, this place was like a paradise.
Of course, the reason for the current liveliness in Xudu City was that the New Year was approaching; it was the Lunar New Year's Eve in two days.
The third year of Jian'an was finally drawing to a close, and the footsteps of the fourth year of Jian'an were quietly arriving!
Of course…
The so-called "Lunar New Year's Eve" in this era was not called "Lunar New Year's Eve" but rather "Zhuchu." This was a method from the pre-Qin period where people, on the day before the New Year, used drumming to drive away "pestilent ghosts."
The "Ji Dong Ji" in the "Lv Shi Chun Qiu" documented this custom in detail.
Certainly, "staying up on New Year's Eve" was still "staying up on New Year's Eve," and "celebrating the New Year" was still "celebrating the New Year," only the names were slightly different.
Naturally, celebrating the New Year here.
While the streets were filled with festive cheer, the renowned wine shops in Xudu City were fully booked.
These wines and delicacies were either sent to the Imperial Academy on the banks of the Ying River, above Yongqiu, or to the encampment of the Long Xiao Camp stationed on the outskirts of the city…
These were all Lu Yu's endeavors.
As it was the New Year…
The instructors at the Imperial Academy and the soldiers of the Long Xiao Camp had worked hard all year. How could Lu Yu be stingy?
There should be no shortage of chicken, duck, fish, and meat!
This action surprised Cai Zhuoji immensely.
"For every instructor at the Imperial Academy, and even for each instructor's family with so many mouths to feed, Yu Di distributes New Year's goods. This… must be a considerable expense, right?"
In the Minister's mansion, Cai Zhuoji asked Lu Yu very seriously.
It wasn't that Sister Zhaoji was stingy; she was worried that such a large expenditure would put Young Brother Yu in a difficult position.
But…
Cai Zhuoji had underestimated her younger brother's ability to make money!
Not to mention the vast sums earned from grave robbing and tomb raiding, the sheep soup and dumpling restaurants in cooperation with the Wei family, and the sale of distilled spirits in cooperation with Cao Hong, had almost made Lu Yu incredibly wealthy.
Furthermore…
The person in charge of the Han Dynasty's treasury was Cao Song. Although Lu Yu was unaware, Cao Song was, in fact, Lu Yu's grandfather…
Coupled with the Cao family's traditional favoritism towards grandchildren, the old man Cao Song had always been generous towards his grandson, and even towards his grandson's elder sister.
While others might ask for one amount of money, Cao Song would be eager to divide it into two!
But for his grandson and the woman he considered his future granddaughter-in-law… if they asked for one amount of money, Cao Song would be eager to give ten times that amount.
Love me, love my dog…
Naturally, he was not stingy with the Imperial Academy or the Long Xiao Camp.
"Sister Zhaoji… everyone has worked hard all year, and it's the end of the year. Let's all be a little happier," Lu Yu said with a smile… "By the way, in our residence, I have also distributed New Year's goods to every servant in your name, Sister Zhaoji. Now… the entire residence is deeply grateful to Sister Zhaoji!"
This…
Cai Zhuoji hesitated for a moment. "If you give them, you give them. Why attribute it to me?"
"Sister Zhaoji has also worked very hard throughout the year…" Lu Yu smiled slightly… He took out a package from his embrace. "This is a special New Year's gift I prepared specifically for you, Sister Zhaoji…"
This…
Cai Zhuoji was startled. She was about to open it, but Lu Yu covered her hand.
"Sister Zhaoji… it's not too late to open it when we return to the residence."
Speaking of this special New Year's gift…
Lu Yu had not only prepared one for Sister Zhaoji, but also for Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao… and even… Diao Chan, and that young girl Ling Ju in the residence, Lu Yu had prepared one for each of them.
As for those outside the residence… at the Imperial Academy, people like Yang Xiu and Sima Yi, Lu Yu had also prepared a gift.
Of course, whether they would survive to claim it was another story!
Besides them, it could be said… anyone who could be named and had some connection with Lu Yu, Lu Yu had specially prepared a gift for them.
It wasn't easy for everyone to brave the world together!
The most crucial thing was that it was like a team-building activity. The New Year was a good opportunity to strengthen team cohesion!
Who would have thought…
At this moment.
A fast horse arrived urgently, and a scribe requested Lu Yu to go to the Ministry of Personnel to preside over the situation, saying that something major had happened!
Not just something major, but a series of unfortunate events!
Lu Yu asked a little and learned that… Lujiang and Guangling had been attacked…
And that Cao Cao had suffered from a splitting headache and had actually fainted!
Heh…
Lu Yu, who had felt inexplicably a little nervous earlier, felt instantly relieved upon hearing this. Has Old Cao's acting reached such an extreme? It was truly a big surprise for him, Lu Yu, for the New Year!
Also, Lu Yu… did not think this was a bad thing!
This was likely a great "bad thing" for the Sun family of Jiangdong, wasn't it?
…
…